I Hate This Town
by EikoChitose
Summary: Zexion likes his coffee shop the way it is. So when someone new enters the picture... he's not quite sure how to react. Rated for language, yaoi, and later chapters. Seriously. Zemyx.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know, I _know_ that I'm in the middle of something else, but this is special. It's a present for my dear **TheBestLaidPlans**. Hope you like it, dear, because it's my first gift, and now I'm nervous.

Pairings: Zemyx, some other implied stuff... it's a secret, but you'll figure it out fast.

Warnings: _Because_of who it's for, it's REALLY rated for later chapters. Probably some language, yaoi, the usual.

Disclaimer: I own... sob... nothing, nothing, nothing.

* * *

_I think that possibly, maybe I've fallen for you..._

It really must've been all started in that coffee shop.

Zexion wouldn't have even entered the awful little place, if not for the fact that it was the only one within walking distance of the campus. It was the only one in the whole town, really. Quite depressing. All the same, it wasn't necessarily bad. Most people tended to leave him alone. The girls (or boys, on occasion) who bothered him usually got an annoyed, rather distasteful stare, and, quite frequently creeped out, backed away from him, leaving Zexion in joyous peace.

By now, he was used to everyone and everything about the shop. When not in a lecture, that's where he liked to spend his spare time, with his coffee and a book.

He was used to the small (though not much smaller than him) cashier with tousled golden hair and a slightly gloomy outlook on life. (Unfortunately, he wasn't always there, though he was Zexion's favorite.) He was used to the chipper, messy-haired brunette who often worked alongside the blonde, and seemed to be the only one able to make him smile. They were opposites for sure, but Zexion saw them together all the time outsides the coffee shop. They appeared to be very close. Zexion was also used to his loud, annoying, redheaded roommate constantly hitting on the cashier, much to the blonde's horrified agitation. The brunette thought it was entertaining and tended to ignore his friend's cries for help.

Yes, Zexion was used to all these things, and generally speaking, he detested change. So, when one day, a strange blonde musician entered the scene, he was taken off guard.

* * *

I know, I know, it's short, but I promise, it'll get better! It just kinda... came out, so I hope this is okay for now, you... you, pervert!

See ya soon!


	2. Chapter 2

I know it's been a little while, but hopefully not too long. I've been trying really hard, but I keep getting distracted by this akudem and I just can't.... concentrate. Anyway, here's the second chapter, featuring jealousy, pouting, gay men, and gay drinks. Happy not our 9 month anniversary as friends, sweety.

Warnings: Well, not much... Just lots of dialog, so...

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own nothing, though if I did.... Oh, if I did....

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It was really just another day in the coffee shop. Zexion was well into his third cup by the time Axel waltzed in.

"Roxas! Sora!" he bellowed.

Zexion, always up for the entertainment that Axel and the blonde, Roxas, provided him, watched from the corner of his eye.

"Good morning," the redhead chirped, sashaying up to the counter.

Roxas glared. "What?"

"You look more beautiful today than ever," Axel purred, batting his eyelashes.

"Thanks," the blonde grumbled. "Now order or I'll kick you out."

"Aw, Roxy, you're hurtin' me here," Axel said, sticking out his lip in a pout.

"Don't care. Order or leave."

Axel pouted some more, then looked up, casting his eyes across the menu. "Cinnamon Creme Brulee Latte, then."

Roxas sniggered a little, causing both Zexion and the brunette, Sora, to look over at him for a moment. "That's... manly," the blonde commented as he rung him up.

The taller man shrugged. "Soooo...."

"What?" Roxas was glaring again, warning in his eyes.

Axel leaned against the counter. "Got a girlfriend?"

Sora glanced over again.

"No," Roxas said blandly as he mixed Axel's drink. "Want whip?"

"Sure. Got a... boyfriend?"

Sora looked interested now.

Roxas furrowed his brow, pausing for a moment and flickering his eyes to Sora, then he frowned deeply. "No."

Zexion rose an eyebrow. No? He looked over for just a second, over the top of his book. Sora was glaring. Interesting development.

"Want one?" Axel asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sora was really starting to look angry now. The boxes in his hands were going to get squished if he kept holding them like that.

Roxas continued to operate the machine smoothly. "I didn't say I was gay."

"You don't have a girlfriend," Axel pointed out. "A guy as cute as you without a girlfriend can only be gay!"

"Not having a girlfriend does _not_make me gay." The barista sighed. "Go away, Axel."

Axel grasped his chest cheerfully. "You _do_ know my name!"

"Yeah, yeah, now take your drink and go, before I spill it all over you." He shoved the Cinnamon Creme Brulee Latte toward Axel, his eyes slightly begging. "Please."

Axel widened his eyes, then looked at Zexion, whose own eyes were telling him _run away now_, like they did when Axel ate the ice cream he hid in the freezer. "Yeah... I have a class in twenty anyway. I should... get going..." Perhaps he had noticed Sora's anger himself as he sped out of the shop.

As soon as he was gone, Roxas sighed, turning to Sora. "Sora --"

The brunette glared viciously, looking hurt.

Roxas frowned as well. "Sora, I really don't think that you, of all people --"

"Not gay, huh?" Sora murmured. "Well. That's news." He whipped off his apron. "I'm taking my break."  
"Sora --"

"My _break_, Roxas," the boy snapped, storming out of the shop.

Roxas watched him go, a bitter expression on his face. Then his eyes went to Zexion. "Sorry about that," he muttered.

"It's fine," Zexion said with a shrug, going back to his book.

The shop was quiet when, twenty minutes later, Sora did not return.

Slowly, Roxas slinked across the room and slid into the seat across from Zexion tentatively. "Um... I'm Roxas," he said. "Roxas Strife."

"Zexion Ihara," he replied, glancing at Roxas for a moment.

"Sorry to interrupt," Roxas immediately added, nodding to his book.

"It's fine," Zexion shrugged again. "I apologize for that red-haired bonehead. I must admit, unfortunately, that he's my roommate."

"I'm sorry," Roxas laughed. "No, I'm used to Axel. We have classes together. But to be his roommate... that must be terrible."

"It's alright. His finals are approaching and he spends more time in the library studying like a crazed person than at home. It's a nice change."

"Ugh, finals," Roxas groaned. "I'd almost forgotten. And I'm sure I'm gonna fail psychology at this rate. What about you?"

Zexion's lips twitched. "I'm fine. I'm actually a psychology major."

Roxas gaped, and then laughed weakly. "I... I'm not really sure I have any right to be surprised. I'm, um, an art major."

"Huh. Axel, too. I suppose that's how you know him?"

"Yeah. He's not so bad at school, but that's because -- Ugh. Never mind. Not important. Anyway, do you do tutoring? I seriously need to find someone." He chuckled, but Zexion just blinked.

"I... could certainly try to fit something into my schedule."

Roxas blinked rapidly. "Huh?"

"If you're serious," Zexion said slowly, looking amused, "I'll think about it."

"Whu -- Whu...?"

"I have no need to study, so I have plenty of free time. I've tutored people before, and I doubt this would be any different... Except perhaps for your level of intelligence. You seem smarter than those... _delinquents_." He wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah, that's what I go for," Roxas chuckled, then looked forlornly toward the door.

"You and the other one...?"

"Sora," Roxas sighed.

"Sora. Right. You and he seem rather close."

"He's my best friend," Roxas muttered. "We've known each other since we were little."

"Axel created a rough spot."

"Eh. Things'll work out. I'll talk to him.... Thanks, Zexion," Roxas added, face turning red. "For, um, the tutoring thing."

"Of course. No problem. I... don't have much else to do."

The little bell over the door rang and Sora stomped back in, looking sheepish and guilty. Roxas only smiled. "I should go take care of this," he whispered to Zexion.

"That's fine," Zexion said, closing his book. "I'm basically done here, anyhow. I have a class soon." He glanced at his watch. "I'll see you again tomorrow, Roxas."

"Goodbye, Zexion," Roxas returned, as he slipped back behind the counter and disappeared into the back to talk to Sora.

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So. Yeah. That's that, there. For now. Sorry, but I don't think Demmy-darling's even showing up til the Fourth chapter.... The plot's swallowing me!! But when he does... Oh, when he does!! The tutoring thing came up when I was thinking of a certain Aku-freak, who's name I don't want to type out. I love you.... I do.


	3. Chapter 3

Well, back again. Again, not so long. Oddly enough, I wrote this chapter before Chapter 2. No, this will not contain any Roxion, by the by. Consider this any week after the first incident. Yeah, that's how I operate.

Warnings: just the usual man on man, etc.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, yo. Nothing. But I wish I did. But I don't.

* * *

The bell over the door rung early on a particularly sunny day.

"Oh, hey, Zexion. Good morning," the blonde barista, Roxas, said, grinning at his new tutor and frequent customer.

"Good morning, Roxas," Zexion returned, polite as ever.

The bell rung again as he came up to the counter. It was hard to fathom there was anyone he didn't know, so he wasn't surprised to see a familiar silver-haired second year enter the shop. He'd never been one for names -- he hadn't even remembered Roxas's until Axel had started rambling about him constantly. But still, he'd seen the tall silverette around campus. Catching his eye, they nodded to each other and the other student stood beside him by the counter, looking pointedly at Roxas. Zexion never missed anything, and so he watched the scene unfold around him.

Roxas's eyes narrowed when he saw the silver-haired teen. He didn't let him make a single sound. "Sora," he called for his brunette friend. "Umeda's here."

"Okie dokie!" the brunette, Sora, replied cheerfully from somewhere near the back. "Just give me a sec!" The hyperactive boy barely gave _them_ a sec, appearing almost immediately, still fumbling with his black barista apron. "I'll be back later to pick you up, okay, Roxy?"

"Okay," Roxas sighed. He reached around Sora to undo the apron for him, and the two shared a small, but very tender kiss.

The silverette didn't seem too happy about it, as he looked away, irritated. However, he smirked when Sora jumped over the counter, beaming. "Riku!" The brunette laced their fingers together, chattering away as he dragged Riku out of the shop, leaving a glaring Roxas in their wake.

When they were gone, Roxas's eyes wandered back to Zexion waiting patiently to order. The slate-haired man was staring at him with an eyebrow raised in speculation. "Riku is Sora's boyfriend," he explained bitterly.

The eyebrow rose higher.

Roxas's face flushed. "He's my best friend, that's all..."

"Yes. Right." _Most best friends act like newlyweds._ But Zexion didn't have to say it. Roxas could practically read it in just those two words -- he'd always been good at expressing himself that way.

Roxas glared at the door again. "Sonnuva bitch. He's such an ass..."

"Will you need tutoring tomorrow? The usual, please. And, ah, Sora, is it? He seems to be happy with the other one. Riku Umeda, yes?"

"The usual, then. He treats me like crap 'cuz Sor and I are close. And yeah, that'd be great."

The shop was rather slow that day, empty and rather quiet -- Zexion thoroughly enjoyed it. Roxas finished a bit early, when the late afternoon workers, Kiara and Kovu, came in. He sighed long and deep, sinking into the seat across from where Zexion was reading his book. "I hope Sora gets here soon."

"Won't Umeda be with him?" Zexion asked absently, not looking up from his book.

"Well, yeah, but it's worse to go back alone. And anyway, he's got work down at the bar on 7th Street right after, so it's just me and Sora on the way home."

"You are both off tomorrow?"

Roxas's face twisted. "No. Just me. Sora doesn't have class 'til after four -- they've got a project coming up. Luckily, I don't have class, either, thanks to you, so if things go well, I can pick him up."

"Hmm..." Zexion hummed, looking at Roxas, speculating again.

Roxas blinked, a little uncomfortable under the stare. "What?"

"You love him."

"What?" he squeaked.

"You are in love with Sora," Zexion stated, returning to his book.

Roxas turned bright red. "N-no! No!"

"You kiss."

"We're friends! He's my best friend! I care about him, is all!"

"Yes. Right."

Roxas groaned, banging his head on the table. "I can't _stand_ Riku! He's always in the way!"

"Some people are like that."

"And you saw how Sora was when that redheaded menace came onto me!" Roxas buried his fingers into his hair and pulled. "It's infuriating!"

"Sora is jealous."

"He can't have it both ways!" Roxas snapped. "It's not... It's not fair, Zexion! I love him -- not like that! -- but he can be so... so selfish. It drives me insane."

Zexion stared at him levelly. "Everyone is entitled to be a little selfish, Roxas. Look at you. Sora is happy with Umeda, but you wish that he was not in the picture. Does that not make you selfish?"

Roxas sighed, then sagged in his seat. "You freakin' psychology majors..."

"Yes, well," Zexion sighed, "that's what we're here for."

"Ah, that reminds me!" Roxas shot up. "We're having an open mic night tomorrow! But not until later that night. You wanna go with me after tutoring?"

"Hmm," Zexion responded thoughtfully. He wasn't much for crowds, though it couldn't possibly be that bad. "I... suppose that would be fine. You do realize Axel will find out about this?"

Roxas laughed. "Yeah. I know. It's okay. You know, he actually apologized for the other day. It was a strange, very Axel way of going about things, but... I got the picture."

"Don't underestimate that pervert, Roxas," Zexion said seriously.

Roxas just laughed again. "I would never do something that stupid."

"So long as you know."

The shop was peaceful until Sora came back to pick him up. There was a new hickey on his neck which he seemed oblivious to, or just didn't care, that made Roxas glare at the figure slouching outside by the door. Then he left with them, his arm around Sora's waist, Sora reflecting him. Riku moved to Sora's other side but didn't touch him, looking just faintly displeased as Zexion watched them walk away from the window.

He shook his head. Best friends. Right.

* * *

There. And Dem-dem's comin' up! I'm so excited! Though it'll cause me all sorts of anxiety and I don't think I can handle it!! Oh well. So, I guess I like Sora as kind of a whore of sorts.... Well, just this time. I actually kind of like this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!!!


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